Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana SB507: Revise laws related to school and public library standards
Status: Failed, May 23, 2025
What the bill says
A bill for an act entitled: "an act generally revising public and school library standards; prohibiting the exclusion of a book or other resource from a school library for certain reasons; requiring school district trustees to adopt a policy and procedures to object to a book or other resource included in a school library; prohibiting a public library from banning or restricting access to a book or other resource based on the viewpoint of that book or resource; requiring a library board of trustees to adopt a policy regarding the materials in a public library's collection…
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT GENERALLY REVISING PUBLIC AND SCHOOL LIBRARY STANDARDS; PROHIBITING THE EXCLUSION OF A BOOK OR OTHER RESOURCE FROM A SCHOOL LIBRARY FOR CERTAIN REASONS; REQUIRING SCHOOL DISTRICT TRUSTEES TO ADOPT A POLICY AND PROCEDURES TO OBJECT TO A BOOK OR OTHER RESOURCE INCLUDED IN A SCHOOL LIBRARY; PROHIBITING A PUBLIC LIBRARY FROM BANNING OR RESTRICTING ACCESS TO A BOOK OR OTHER RESOURCE BASED ON THE VIEWPOINT OF THAT BOOK OR RESOURCE; REQUIRING A LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO ADOPT A POLICY REGARDING THE MATERIALS IN A PUBLIC LIBRARY'S COLLECTION; AMENDING SECTIONS 20-7-204 AND 22-1-302, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: Section 1. Section 20-7-204, MCA, is amended to read: "20-7-204. School library book selection. (1) School library books shall must be selected in accordance with the requirements of this section by the district superintendent or a principal if there is no district superintendent, subject to the approval of the trustees. In districts not employing a superintendent or principal, the trustees shall select the school library books on the basis of recommendations of the county superintendent. (2) The books, materials, services, and resources provided in a school library must be provided for the interest, information, and instructional support of the students and school …